VOA慢速英语--New English Tests Beyond TOEFL, IELTS

New English Tests Beyond TOEFL, IELTS

Since 1964, colleges and universities in the United States have used the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, to measure an international applicant¹’s level of English. Universities in English-speaking European countries began using the International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, in 1989.

These two tests have been the main choices for English ability testing in higher education admissions for international students, until now.

In recent years, several companies have developed new English language tests that are low-cost and easy to use. And they aim to do more than just offer greater choice in the admissions process.

Duolingo

Duolingo creates software that teaches users many different languages, including English. In 2014, the company launched its own test of English language ability.

Jennifer Dewar works with Duolingo, helping² to develop the test. She formerly³ worked as an admissions official at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. The school is one of hundreds of colleges, universities and other organizations in and outside the U.S. that now accept the test results for international admissions into their study programs.

Dewar says Duolingo created the test to lower the barriers to higher education for people worldwide, especially those in developing countries.

The TOEFL and the IELTS cost between about $180 and $240 to take. They are given in a limited number of centers around the world. Some test-takers have to travel to take the tests, adding to the costs.

Duolingo offers its test entirely⁴ over the internet for $49. All test-takers need is access to a computer with a microphone, listening device and self-facing camera.

“I don’t think we’re in a position, at this point, to continue to support those barriers and not … make education more accessible for people all over the world,” Dewar told VOA.

Differences among the tests

The TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo measure a person’s English reading, listening, speaking and writing abilities. But it takes about 45 minutes to complete a Duolingo test, as compared to three or four hours for the TOEFL or IELTS.

Dewar says it is possible because Duolingo uses artificial intelligence to adapt to test-takers’ abilities, using fewer questions to measure their skills.

David Payne is a vice⁵ president for Educational Testing Service, the nonprofit organization that operates the TOEFL test.

He agrees that improving access to higher education is important. But he says general English knowledge is not the only thing college and university study programs require. Schools need to know how successful a student will be using the level of academic English that their professors will expect of them.

In 2015, researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological⁶ University found the Duolingo test to be a weak measurement of that.

Payne said: “We would argue that delivering a high quality test to the academic market provides the value that is necessary to make a really important decision. And saving $100 to $150 on a test doesn’t seem worth it, in terms of the relative expense of the test versus⁷ what you’re going to pay for tuition and fees, and room and board."

In addition, he notes that test security has become an especially important issue. In the last three years, there have been several cases in which people were caught lying about their identities in order to take English ability tests for others.

Payne argues that there is still no technology that can better prove a test-taker’s identity than having them take the test in person.

Having choices

John Segota is with the TESOL International Association, the world’s largest professional organization for teachers of English as a second language. He says schools will have to do their own research to decide if any newer test options can perform as well as traditional ones.

“It really comes down to a question for the … universities … about what’s available, what’s the quality of the services and products that are available, and are they satisfied with what’s in the marketplace,” Segota noted⁸.

Segota added only time will tell if a given test is worse at measuring a student’s likelihood for success. But in general, having choices is important.

Choice is exactly what made Duolingo and other non-traditional English tests appealing to Emerson College in Boston. The school accepts both TOEFL and IELTS results for its English language requirements. Emerson also accepts the Cambridge English Assessment⁹, the Pearson Test of English Academic, and, as of 2017, Duolingo.

Michael Lynch is Emerson’s director of undergraduate admissions. He said, “We are interested in expanding our international presence … We do see ourselves as a global institution. … And … it really comes down to access for students, and options.”

Other test measurement

Many experienced language learners may see higher education as their ultimate goal. But there are millions of people who are in the early or middle stages of English proficiency¹⁰ who need to measure their progress, says Dana Alhadeedi.

She is the academic director for the EF SET, an English language ability test created by the language instruction company EF Education First.

Education First started the free internet-based EF SET test in 2014. The adaptive test takes 50 minutes and only measures a test-takers English reading and listening abilities. The purpose of this test is to give all learners a general idea of their current English ability level.

“Because our test … can get English proficiencies for a large number of people at any given time, and because of the accessibility of the test, we’ve found that it actually caters¹¹ to a lot of need out there,” said Alhadeedi.

Companies, organizations and even governments have used the EF SET for their own purposes, she notes. This includes VOA Learning English, which has a partnership¹² with EF to use the test on its website.

I’m Pete Musto. And I’m Caty Weaver¹³.

Words in This Story

applicant – n. someone who formally asks for something, such as a job or admission to a college

access – n. a way of being able to use or get something

microphone – n. a device into which people speak or sing in order to record their voices or to make them sound louder

adapt – v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation

academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education

expense – n. the amount of money that is needed to pay for or buy something

versus – prep. used to show the two people or teams that are fighting or competing against each other or that are opposed to each other in a legal case

tuition – n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there

room and board – n. a place to stay with meals provided and included in the price

undergraduate – adj. describing a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree

global – adj. involving the entire world

institution – n. an established organization

option(s) – n. the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things

proficiency – n. a high degree of competence¹⁴ or skill

cater(s) to – n. to provide what is wanted or needed by someone or something

1 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

4 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

7 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

10 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

11 caters   

提供饮食及服务( cater的第三人称单数 )； 满足需要，适合

参考例句：

• That shop caters exclusively to the weaker sex. 那家商店专供妇女需要的商品。
• The boutique caters for a rather select clientele. 这家精品店为特定的顾客群服务。

12 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

13 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

14 competence   

n.能力，胜任，称职

参考例句：

• This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
• These are matters within the competence of the court.这些是法院权限以内的事。